Finality wins Jamaica Handicap

ELMONT, N.Y. - Finality, a tough-luck second in a pair of graded stakes earlier this summer, finally broke through Sunday at Belmont Park, coming from slightly off the pace under John Velazquez to win the $200,000, Grade 2 by a length over the pace-setting Union Place.

Chiselling, the 2-1 favorite who was boxed in along the rail, got up for third, a neck in front of Macaw.

The Jamaica was one of two stakes victories on the card for trainer Todd Pletcher, who one race earlier saddled Maddie May to a 3 3-4-length victory in the $81,275 Schenectady Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares.

Back in July, Finality was caught in the final strides by Chiselling and lost the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at 10 furlongs by a nose. Earlier this month, in the Grade 2 Saranac Handicap at 1 3-16 miles, Finality made a belated bid and finished one-half length behind Ibn al Haitham.

Sunday, in the nine-furlong Jamaica, Finality raced third, just off the pace established by Union Place and Ibn al Haitham. Finality, a New York-bred son of Dehere, made the lead inside the furlong marker and drew away from Union Place. He covered the nine furlongs in 1:46.66 over a firm inner turf course and returned $21 to win.

``He really likes Belmont,' said Pletcher, who trains Finality for Dogwood Stable. ``We thought in the Saranac [at Saratoga], he ran a real big race closing. We were hoping coming back to Belmont, he'd catch a firmer turf course because he really seems to like that. He kicked on strong through the lane and 1:46-and-three is racehorse time.'

Earlier, Maddie May took over from the pace-setting Jolie in upper stretch and cruised to an easy victory in the Schenectady under Velazquez. Maddie May, a 5-year-old daughter of Not for Love, covered the six furlongs in 1:11.01 and returned $3.10 as the 1-2 favorite.

Pletcher said Maddie May, who is now 8 for 18 for So MADCAPT Stable, would make her final career start in the $125,000 Iroquois Stakes here on Oct. 19. Following that, she will be sold at the Keeneland November auction.